WIDE-AREA TRAFFIC SURVEILLANCE OF SURFACE STREETS

Historically, traffic surveillance cameras have been used primarily to monitor freeway conditions; however, as more cities begin to invest in traffic management centers, there is increasing interest in using wide-area surveillance cameras to monitor traffic conditions on surface streets. This paper discusses various surveillance issues that were encountered during the design of the Atlanta Regional Advanced Transportation Management System which is to be operational in time for the 1996 Summer Olympic Games. These issues include the determination of the primary purpose of the surveillance, desired surveillance area, camera location, camera height, privacy issues, aesthetics, communication issues, maintenance access, environmental occlusion, installation costs, and operating costs.